No Canadians among 7 killed in Cuban bus crash: government

HAVANA — The federal government says no Canadians were among the seven people killed when a bus carrying tourists and local travellers crashed in far eastern Cuba.

State media report that the bus was carrying 18 Cubans and 22 tourists from Holland, Great Britain, France, Mexico and Canada when it crashed Thursday afternoon on a road between the cities of Baracoa and Guantanamo.

The names and nationalities of those killed haven't been released. Five people were also critically injured.

Global Affairs Canada says it is in contact with local authorities and ready to provide consular assistance to any Canadian citizens.

The driver of the bus told Radio Guantanamo that he lost control on the wet and winding road.

Cuban highways are poorly lit, narrow and rutted with huge potholes. There were 750 deaths and 7,999 injuries in 11,187 accidents last year in the country of 11 million. Thursday's wreck was the fourth major bus accident in a month.